The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a method of changing an EPL display sequence.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.
EPLs are also being used to display more than just price information. Retailers are using EPLs to display promotional information in order to more effectively market associated merchandise items. During off-peak hours, retailers display inventory and status information for the benefit of employees. EPLs may be programmed to display more than one type of information in sequences using flashing and scheduling techniques.
However, EPLs have limited memory capacity for storing the many types of information which must be displayed. For example, a typical EPL has four data registers which can simultaneously store, at most, two types of information. Therefore, it would be desirable for providing a method of changing display sequences despite the memory capacity limitation of an EPL.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method of changing an EPL display sequence is provided.
The method includes the steps of formulating a change sequence message including a number of change sequence commands which reference memory registers of the electronic price label, and sending the change sequence message to the electronic price label.
An Add command causes the electronic price label to additionally display data in a predetermined memory register. A Remove command causes the electronic price label to stop displaying data in a predetermined memory register. If data accompanies an Add command, the method further determines whether such data will overwrite existing data in the predetermined memory register, and if it will, stores the existing data for later retrieval.
The electronic price label system includes an electronic price label including a memory, and a computer. The computer formulates a change sequence message including a number of change sequence commands which reference memory registers of the electronic price label, and sends the change sequence message to the electronic price label. The available change sequence commands include a first command which causes the electronic price label to additionally display first data in a first memory register and a second command which causes the electronic price label to stop displaying second data in a second memory register.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of changing an EPL display sequence.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily changing an EPL display sequence.
It is another object of the present invention to add display information to a display sequence.
It is another object of the present invention to add display information not already in memory to a display sequence.
It is another object of the present invention to remove display information from a display sequence.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of displaying a different type of information under a display sequence using a limited amount of memory.